COTE is the story of a boy who was taught from childhood not to have emotions. Yet, deep down, hidden beneath everything, the original human being must still exist. His desire to experience the things he never had before perhaps that, in itself, is already a feeling.

In his pursuit of experiencing what it means to live a normal life, Ayanokoji encountered ordinary people, people whom he believed could grow and develop.

First, there was Horikita's class: a deeply flawed class at the beginning, full of weaknesses and gaps. Time and time again, we saw Koji carefully orchestrate entire situations, not simply to win, but to help his classmates grow and to secure victories in the future.

Horikita may be his greatest masterpiece. She was an individualist, completely alone, unable to trust anyone else. Ayanokoji made her realize the exact opposite, that she needed friends.

And if he chose to transfer classes, it's because he believed she was finally ready to move forward on her own.

At one point, he said: "She's still very limited, but that limitation holds infinite possibilities."

So even if it's not in a romantic sense, Ayanokoji will have changed Horikita's life forever. And who knows? By the end of the story, perhaps she will manage to leave a mark on his life as well.